My career aim is to develop and evaluate strategies that improve outcomes after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), in particular by augmenting graft-versus-tumor (GVT) to reduce the rates of malignant relapse and alleviating graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). To this goal, I have studied therapies that modulate alloreactive T cells in GVT and GVHD, using mouse models of HSCT.

To develop strategies of augmenting anti-tumor immunity following HSCT, I have focused in particular on T cell repertoire enhancement strategies. Simultaneously, I have begun to study the T cell repertoire in the setting of GVHD. Finally, I have also examined how aspects of mucosal immunology can impact on intestinal GVHD, including the microbial flora and dietary factors.

Awards

BMT Tandem 2014 Best Abstract

Grant

“Microbiota-focused strategies to mitigate GVHD”
Source: NIH/NHLBI R01 HL124112
Dates of Support: 8/15/15 to 8/14/20

Manuscript reviewer

• Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation
• Blood
• Bone Marrow Transplantation
• Mucosal Immunology
• Science Translational Medicine

Honors

• 10/08: Oral presentation: Federation of Immunological Societies of Asia-Oceania
• 1/11: Participant: MSK Center for Microbes, Inflammation, and Cancer Microbial Ecology Workshop
• 2/11: Oral presentation: BMT Tandem Meetings
• 4/11: Oral presentation: Nature meeting, Microbiota and mucosal immunology: the interface in health and disease
• 10/12: Oral presentation: Universidad Internacional de Andalucia - the microbiome: role in health and disease
• 12/12: Invited speaker: American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, Scientific Committee on Transplantation Biology
• 7/13: Invited speaker: Lucille Castori Center for Microbes, Inflammation & Cancer Annual Summer Symposium
• 2/14: Invited speaker: Graft vs. Host Responses in HIV Eradication Workshop, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• 2/14: BMT Tandem Meetings Best Abstract Award for Basic Science Research: “Identification of Intestinal Commensal Bacteria Protective Against GVHD in Mice and Humans”
• 6/14: Invited speaker: Working Group on the Microbiome in Cardiovascular, Pulmonary and Hematologic Health and Diseases, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
• 7/14: nvited speaker: University of Minnesota Adult BMT Grand Rounds: “Intestinal flora and outcomes in allogeneic BMT”
• 3/15: Invited speaker: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Stem Cell Transplantation Grand Rounds: “Intestinal flora and outcomes in allogeneic BMT”
• 5/15: Invited speaker: Columbia University Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplantation Division Grand Rounds: “Intestinal flora and outcomes in allogeneic BMT”
• 9/15: Invited speaker: Canadian Blood and Marrow Transplant Group: Graft-Versus-Host Disease Symposium: “Intestinal bacterial flora and outcomes after allogeneic BMT”